Blog Archives - Page 14 of 35 - The New York Foundling

This Giving Tuesday, Your Support Matters

When Nina opened her home as a foster parent to two siblings, she committed to making them feel safe, secure, and loved. The Foundling provided guidance, intensive therapy services, and more to support her and the children as they healed from past trauma and adjusted to a new environment.

Nina, Grace, and Logan are now a thriving family – and with adoption paperwork finalized last year, they will have each other for a lifetime. “They’re biological siblings, and it’s amazing that they get to be together – I think they feel blessed, and I also feel blessed,” says Nina.

But they couldn’t have reached this point without supporters like you. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the generosity of our community to fund our vital services. We provide tools, resources, and support to 30,000 children, adults, and families across New York City and Puerto Rico – and with the events of the past year, this support is more crucial than ever as we work to move forward.

This is what supporters like you make possible – ensuring that children, adults, and families across New York City and Puerto Rico have the safety, support, and resources to succeed. We help our community overcome challenges – from new foster parents opening their homes to adults with developmental disabilities seeking employment – and your help is what allows us to guide these neighbors along their paths to success.

Today is Giving Tuesday – a global day of giving to charitable causes. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the generosity of our community to make our vital programs possible. And with the events of the past year, this support is more crucial than ever as our neighbors work to recover and move beyond the pandemic. Donations are tax-deductible, and every dollar can provide crucial support to a family in need. Together, we can partner to make a difference.

Make a donation today and give children, adults, and families across New York and Puerto Rico the gift of opportunity:

$1,000 can fund 4 months of therapy for a family in need

$500 can underwrite a day-long group outing in the community for adults with developmental disabilities

$100 can provide holiday gifts for 10 children attending Haven Academy

Interested in other ways to support The Foundling this holiday season?

Join our Holiday Gift Drive: Help us bring joy to families this holiday season! Purchase a gift from our Amazon wish list, or click here to download our flyer which contains information about other ways to donate items.
Give back on AmazonSmile: Visit AmazonSmile and choose The New York Foundling as your AmazonSmile charity. The Foundling will receive a portion of every dollar you spend – a simple way to give back as you shop online, at no cost to you!
Start a Fundraiser: If you’re on Facebook, you and your network can easily support The Foundling! Visit our Facebook page and start a fundraiser to support the children, adults, and families in our programs.
Get Involved: Browse volunteer opportunities and ways to give back here. Or deepen your Foundling connection by signing up for our mailing list, joining our Junior Board, or exploring and sharing your Foundling roots.
Make a Legacy Gift: Include The Foundling in your estate plans, ensuring that our work continues for generations to come. Learn more here.

November 30, 2021/by Elefant Design

Child Welfare, Developmental Disabilities, Media Coverage

BronxNet: Bill Baccaglini on The Bronx Social Justice and Anti-Violence Forums

On local television channel BronxNet’s Bronx Social Justice and Anti-Violence Forums, our CEO and President Bill Baccaglini sat down with host Daren Jaime to share the current state of The Foundling’s developmental disabilities, child welfare, education, and other programs. Additionally, Bill discusses the changes that the new year – with leadership changes both at The Foundling and the city’s mayoral administration- may bring.

Watch the interview below:

Read more on BronxNet

November 18, 2021/by Elefant Design

Education, Media Coverage

Mott Haven Herald: Haven Kids Rock Musical Mirrors Lives of South Bronx Kids

Mott Haven Herald recently featured Haven Kids Rock – detailing our program’s recent performances of Unstoppable, Tales from the Schoolyard, the important role that a performing arts program can play in the lives of students, and more. “If you lower the bar for kids who have challenging lives, you forever limit their potential,” said founder Nefertiti Jones. “We are raising the bar for our kids and they are rising.”

Read more at Mott Haven Herald.

November 15, 2021/by Elefant Design

Child Welfare, Media Coverage

Fox 5 New York: The New York Foundling named ‘Hero of the Day’

Fox 5’s Good Day New York recently named The New York Foundling as its ‘Hero of the Day.’

Watch the video below to learn more:

November 15, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Education

Opening Doors with New Education and Career Opportunities for Students in Care

By Bonnie Loughner, Assistant Vice President, Fostering College Success Initiative

At The Foundling, we believe that education opens the doors of opportunity for children and young adults, and academic support is a prominent component of the work we do. Students in foster care often lack the support systems they need for academic success, and too often don’t graduate college as a result. By providing mentorship, tutoring, and other forms of support, the Fostering College Success Initiative (FCSI) works to fill this need. The Foundling partners with New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and City University of New York (CUNY) to produce this program, and together we provide opportunities and resources to help college students beat the odds.

In the past year, the program has had some exciting developments.

Increasing our Reach

We’re expanding the network of schools we partner with, providing more young people in foster care with the opportunity to join the program and receive support. Although 95% of our college students are enrolled in CUNY, we now also have students attending College of Mount Saint Vincent, Pace University, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Alfred State, SUNY Broome Community College, and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Expanding Career Opportunities

In the past, the Fostering College Success Initiative program has focused mostly on connecting students with college coaches and tutors, but we’re now looking beyond that to the next step—guiding them to employment. In summer 2020, we added a Career Counseling unit to the services we provide, and in 2021 we were able to expand these services in partnership with the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation. Our dedicated team of career counselors helps students with resumes, cover letters, mock interviews, and networking. We also connect them to opportunities like job fairs, panels, career events, and job/internship placements.

We’re also working on bolstering our partnerships, with the goal of increasing access to unique and targeted internship opportunities for our students.

For example, for the first time this summer – and with the assistance of our partners at ACS – we were able to coordinate an internship program as a paid professional development program through DYCD’s Summer Youth Employment program. For six weeks, students with an interest in business were paired with mentors from Goldman Sachs and attended sessions focusing on personal finance, job advice, and professional development. In addition to learning job skills and receiving mentorship, the students also worked on marketing-themed projects that provided Goldman Sachs with actionable data they’ll use to recruit and retain diverse talent. Previously, students who’ve completed programs like this one were ultimately hired by the company.

In addition to Goldman Sachs, FCSI’s internship program has also placed our students in office positions within the NYPD, ACS, and Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Inspiring and Connecting Students

As a source of inspiration for our students, we’ve launched a quarterly Speaker Series that highlights the voices of prior youth in care. These adults, who are now successful business professionals, know what it’s like to be in the foster care system, and how to move past these challenges to lead a successful life. Not only do these speakers inspire and provide motivation for students, they’re also a source of practical insight and guidance. We hope to attract future speakers from across the country to participate.

We also launched our new Fostering College Success Initiative website, which contains an online portal for everything our students need—announcements, events, etc. Also, while the program had previously enrolled students at the beginning of each semester, we now have moved towards rolling admissions, allowing us to support students as soon as they need assistance.

Moving Forward

All the college residences of the schools our students attend are now open after being closed last year during the pandemic. Many of our students are back in dorms, while others have opted to stay in the community with friends, family, or foster parents. While some of our students have returned to in-person classes, others became comfortable with online learning and prefer to continue that way. We also have students returning for a fresh start after taking a break year during the pandemic. Regardless of their path, they’ve been so resilient, and we’re there to help make adapting and adjusting easier.

The Foundling is committed to providing our students in care with the tools and opportunities that allow them to achieve success. That’s why we’re always tailoring our programs, expanding our reach, and opening doors to meet the needs of our students in the ever-changing academic and career landscape.

The Foundling’s Fostering College Success Initiative program is generously supported by the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation and the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation.

November 10, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Child Welfare, Education

Camp Felix’s Virtual Open House

As we enter November and look toward the holiday season, the warm days of summer seem so far away. But just a few months ago, Camp Felix – our overnight summer camp – was in session, providing the young people in our programs with the opportunity to experience the outdoors, spend time away from home, and create lifelong memories and friendships.

Our Putnam Valley campground was closed in 2020 due to COVID-19, but this August, we were able to safely host 96 campers and provide them with exciting in-person activities. After last year, he ability to escape from isolation, socialize, and build connections was needed more than ever.

Because of pandemic restrictions, Camp Felix was unable to host their annual Open House – which invites visitors onto the campground for a meal, talent show, and other activities – but they were able to put together a virtual version.

Watch the video below for a glimpse of the fun!

November 3, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Developmental Disabilities

Closing the Employment Gap for People with Developmental Disabilities

Entering the workforce is hard for all of us: the interview process can be daunting, and learning new tasks and adapting to new environments is often stressful. For people with developmental disabilities, it can be even more challenging.

“People with disabilities want to work, because working is the way that people are involved in their communities. They have more meaningful relationships, they have a better sense of personal freedom, and they’re more independent,” says Mia Joshi, The Foundling’s Education and Employment Services Coordinator. But while the general employment rate is 70%, only 30% of adults with developmental disabilities are actively employed.

People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the nation, yet they are underemployed because of barriers beyond their control. This community often lacks access to targeted and specialized job resources and training, making it difficult to learn the ‘soft’ skills that are often overlooked by traditional employment programs. It can also be difficult to find accommodating employers, placing them at a disadvantage in the job hunt. Additionally, nearly 25% of adults with developmental disabilities report not having anyone in their life to talk to about their goals, and this lack of mentorship and guidance can further impede long-term success.

In The Foundling’s Employment Services program, our dedicated staff address these challenges head-on. Participants are matched with a Job Coach who trains them in workplace skills and abilities– this often includes broader instruction in communicating, following directions, and more. The Foundling partners with a number of organizations and employers to place participants in meaningful volunteer work to gain experience, and to ultimately match them with fulfilling and competitively-paid job opportunities. Once they start working, participants receive long-term support to ensure that they continue to be successful.

Sophia volunteering at the New York Botanical Garden

Sophia, who is working on pre-vocational skills training with Employment Services, has made great strides in her path toward independence as a result of the program. The Foundling has set her up with volunteer opportunities, such as working at the New York Botanical Garden, that have given her the chance to grow.

“I learned to listen to instructions to do things the right way…They are helping us to learn and gain employment. I used to get more frustrated but now I can communicate with people better,” she says.

Now, Sophia is learning to type and is finessing her communication skills, all in preparation for paid employment – and is excited about her professional future ahead.

Lowell at his new job

Lowell, another one of our Employment Services participants, recently took his first step into the working world. Since 2018, he has worked hard with our team to learn skills and prepare for employment. This summer, those efforts paid off!

Through The Foundling’s partnership with the Consortium for Customized Employment, which works to create a network of organizations and employers to expand work options for people with developmental disabilities, Lowell was able to find a job that fit with his skillset and aspirations. He is now a Shake Shack team member, and is enjoying the autonomy, responsibility, and purpose that being part of the workforce brings.

This National Disability Employment Awareness Month, learn more about our Employment Services program in the video below:

October 22, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Child Welfare

Connect to Your Foundling Roots

Since October 11, 1869, The New York Foundling has worked to provide opportunities to children, adults, and families. Throughout our 152-year legacy, thousands upon thousands of people have passed through our doors, and for many, The Foundling was a pivotal and transformational part of their lives.

In honor of our 152nd anniversary, we are excited to launch our new page, which brings together resources for Foundling alumni, adoptees, and descendants who are looking to learn more about their family history.

‘Connect to Your Foundling Roots’ includes information on requesting historical records, stories from adoptees and their descendants, historical resources and archival photos, and information about The Foundling – past and present. Whether you were in foster care, were adopted, trained as a Foundling baby nurse, or have relatives that rode the Orphan Train, we are committed to providing information and support as you explore your connection to The Foundling’s history.

Click here to visit our new page!

October 12, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Events, Partnerships

Our Fall Fete was a Wonderful Evening!

Fall Fete Fireside Chat: Watch Melanie Hartzog and Bill Baccaglini in Conversation

On Thursday, September 30, we livestreamed a special Fireside Chat featuring current President and CEO, Bill Baccaglini, and Melanie Hartzog, his successor, in conversation.

It was a wonderful discussion about the vital work that is done at The Foundling each day, and an opportunity to meet our incoming leader. Hartzog discussed her background and experience in child welfare, and shared her vision for continuing The Foundling’s legacy of supporting children, adults, and families across our five service areas – particularly as our community continues to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In case you missed it, the full video is available below.

October 1, 2021/by Elefant Design

Contact us.